Game board



L. A. MARSH GAME BOARD Filed March 26. 1923 Vj: l

Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE,

LUCIEN A.. MARSH, OF MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA..

GAME BOARD.

Applicationkfiled March 26. 1923. Serial No. 627,880.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, LUorEN A. liARsH. a citizen of the United States, residing at Mill Valley, county of Marin, and State of California, have invented new and useful Im ber offlat oblong playing pieces bearing \.-.characters or legends which are factors in the game. During the course of the game,

each player accumulates a group of playing piecesor tilesl` which is termed the players hand.

termed racks were designed.

To permit each player toy arrange the tilesv constituting his hand on edge in a position' concealing their charactered faces from the other players'but permitting him to readily refer thereto'at each play, elongated devices These racks are formed angular in cross-section and during the'game are placed onthe game board to accommodate the tiles and support them' with theiry charactered faces at an angle to the vertical to permit convenient reference thereto.

These racks 'have not proven entirely satisfactory for the reason that when the game is not in use they easily become broken, misplaced and lost.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a generally improved game board which is particularly adapted for playing the game Mah jongg and which is provided with improved means for accommodating the auxiliary playing elements of the game to prevent them from being broken or misplaced when the game is not in use.

In carrying out this object I provide a game board arranged with receptacles at its sides for the reception of playing elements of the game. board is recessed to accommodate racks which may be yieldably held in the recesses in a protected position to serve as a cover for the receptacles and to insure that the racks will not become broken or misplaced.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 ,is aperspective view of a game board embodying the invention.-

Above these receptacles thev Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in section taken on line 2-'-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation and section sliowingthe means for yieldablirv holding the racks in place.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 indicates a rec-7 tangular game board having a playing surface 11 and sides 12. .This board may be constructed as an auxiliary table top or fittedwith folding or rigid supporting legs as desired. L v

Each side of the table is formed with and extension 14 of substantially rectangular cross section as shown in Fig. 2. These eX- tensions are formed with pockets 15 lwhich may be used to' contain counters and other playing elements of the game so that they will be convenient tofeach player.

The top of each extension 14 is longitudinally recessed -as at 14 to accommodate an elongated rack 16. These `racks are each. formed ofl a side portion 17 and a base portion 18 which are formed at righ-t angles to each other. The face of the rack is grooved at 19 to support Vthe titles at an angle to the vertical when the rack is arranged on the board with the base portion 18 resting on the playing surface. f

The recesses 141L in the'e'xtensions 14 are of substantiallyy the same dimensions as the rac-ks to permit the latter to be inverted and Each rack is fitted at one end with a lug 2O which is inserti-ble in a socket 21 at the end of the recess 14a. The other end of each rack is fitted with a spring latch 22 which is adapted to engage a socket 23 in the adjacent end of the recess 14a. By the means just mentioned, the racks may be yieldably held in position in the recesses 14a and will constitute covers for the pockets 15.

During the period that the game board is in use, the racks are positioned on the table to support the tiles constituting the players handsA as described. The pockets 15 are therefore uncovered and the players will have access to any of the articles conilo the pockets lo and to insure that the racks will not be broke-n yor. misplaced i In this position the ysurfaces of theV raelzsrtvill be flush with the surfaces of the extension l5 and will not detract from the appearance of the game board.

F rom the foregoing' it is obvious that a very desirable game board has been provided. Y

lWhile I hare disclosed the preferred form of my device, it is' understood that various changes in its construction may be made Without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is zl. In combination with a game board having a rectangular playing surface, a plurality of racks, said game board having a recessformed at each side thereof for removably receiving one of said racks and yieldably holding it in a protected position whereby said racks may be disposed in said recesses with their exposed surfaces substantially flush with the adjacent surfaces of the game board or removed from the said recesses for use.

2. In combination with a game board having a rectangular playing' surface, ay plurality of elongated racks, the upper marginal edge of each side of said game board being' formed with a recess wherein one of said e racks may be yieldably held in protected position with its exposed surface substantially flush with the adjacent surfaces of the game board whereby said racks may be disposed in protected position in said recesses or removed from said recesses for use.

3. In combination with a game board having a rectangular playing surface, a plurality of elongated racks, the upper marginal ratones edge of each side of saidy game board beine for-ined with a recess of substantially the Y saine dime *sions as one of the racks whereby said racks may be disposed 1n protected position in saidprecesses -with their exposed surfaces flush with the adjacent surfaces ofV the board or removed from said recesses for use. and means for yieldably holding said racks 1n said recesses.

VIn combination with a game board having' a rectangular playing surface', a plurail- Y protected position in said recessesivith their' exposed surfaces flushV with-the adjacent surfaces of the game board,V and Vservingr as closures for said pockets, or removedv from sait recesses for use. Y f' 5. In combination with a game boa-rd hav-v ing a rectangular playing' surface, a plural- .ity of elongated racks, extensions at each side of the game board,V eachof saidextensions having pockets and a recess thereabove formed therein, the recess in each extensionV being` formed at the upper marginal edgeVVV thereof and being of 'substantially the sameV dimensions as a Vrackfor receiving and sup- Y porting the same with its exposed surfaces f Y flush ivith the adjacent surfaces ofthe extension whereby the racks may bey disposedV in protected position in said recesses and serve as closures for said pockets, said racks being yieldably held in said recesses Whereby they maybe removed for use.

Lucien A. MARSH; 

